Education type: Tumor Tip

Tumor Tip of the Week-04-17-2026 Where in the Small Intestine is that?

04-17-2026 Where in the Small Intestine is that? Scenario: Laparoscopic Small Bowel Resection: Small bowel stricture 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. It was firm and hard. No other pathology was noted Pathology: Procedure: Segment resection, small intestine Tumor Site: Small intestine, not otherwise specified Histologic Type and Grade: G1, Well Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumor Question: How would you code primary site? 2 Ileum 9 Small intestine, NOS Answer: C17.2 Ileum Discussion […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 04-03-2026 To Be Ambiguous or Not To Be Ambiguous

03-27-2026 TURB only-not eligible for AJCC Path Stage Scenario: 3/7/26 PET Scan: Enlarged Cervical, Mediastinal, Axillary & Mesenteric Adenopathy most compatible with Lymphoproliferative Disorder Such As CLL. 4/3/26 Peripheral Blood: B-Cell Population detected (83% lymphoid cells). Flow cytometry shows monotypic B-Cells with co-expression of CD5. Immunophenotype most consistent with CLL/SLL. Question: How would you assign […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 03-27-2026 TURB only-not eligible for AJCC Path Stage

03-27-2026 TURB only-not eligible for AJCC Path Stage Scenario: TURB of 2 separate non-contiguous bladder tumors, path shows: bladder trigone invasive poorly differentiated papillary urothelial cell carcinoma invading into lamina propria, lateral wall noninvasive high grade papillary urothelial carcinoma Question: Is this case eligible for AJCC pathological stage?  YES NO Answer:  NO!  Rationale: Just because a patient has a surgical procedure, […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 03-20-2026 Oropharyngeal Cancers SCC p16+ or p16-

03-20-2026 Oropharyngeal Cancers SCC p16+ or p16- Scenario: 2022+Biopsy Base of Tongue; Squamous cell carcinoma, p16+ Question: What is the histology? 8070 Squamous cell carcinoma 8085 Squamous cell carcinoma, HPV positive Answer & Rationale: 8085 Squamous cell carcinoma, HPV positive Solid Tumor Rules 2026 Updates Head & Neck Table 5: Tumors of the Oropharynx, Base […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 03-13-2026 EOD Pancreas-Which takes priority scan abutment or path

03-13-2026 EOD Pancreas-Which takes priority scan abutment or path Scenario: 2025 Diagnosis Pancreas head primary site, Intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm w/ an associated inv ca CT: Complex cystic lesion versus conglomerate of cystic lesions in the pancreatic head measuring 6.2 cm and main pancreatic ductal dilation which extends to the ampulla measuring up to 18 mm […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 03-06-2026 Invasive Breast, Neoadjuvant, DCIS

03-06-2026 Invasive Breast, Neoadjuvant, DCIS Scenario #1: Screening digital mammogram with CAD with 3D bilateral-Technique: The following mammographic views were obtained: bilateral CC and MLO views were obtained in 2D and 3D (Digital Breast Tomosynthesis) -calcifications left breast 3:00 BI-RADS 0 Needle bx: Invasive ductal Carcinoma, G3, Her2+, ER-, PR- MRI: Clumped non mass enhancement […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 02-27-2026 Think Before You Click and Pick- B300 or B400

02-27-2026 Scenario #1: 57 YO married, non-Hispanic, white male presented for colon resection after colonoscopy with biopsy confirmed right colon malignancy. Op Report: called the procedure a “right colectomy” with the following description of the procedure: The mass can be palpated and appears to be arising from the cecum. I took down the hepatic flexure […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 02-20-2026 B215 Excisional Breast Bx for Atypia

02-20-2026 Scenario: 01-01-2026 Mammogram: Asymmetric density lower outer quadrant right breast (0.9cm) is mildly suspicious and represents a change from prior mammograms 02-01-2026 Breast, right, biopsy: atypical ductal hyperplasia 02-20-2026 Right breast localized excisional biopsy-invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 2 of 3 Question: How will you code the 2-20-2026 procedure? B210 Excisional breast biopsy B215 Excisional […]

Tumor Tip of the Week 02-13-2026 Corpus Uteri-SLN Biopsies

02-13-2026 Scenario: Corpus Uteri Primary-Endometrioid Carcinoma Robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy  Robotic-assisted laparoscopic bilateral sentinel pelvic lymph node dissection Bilateral Injection of IC green dye within the cervix with bilateral sentinel lymph node mapping Pathology Total Number of Pelvic Nodes Examined: 2 Number of Pelvic Sentinel Nodes Examined: 2 Total Number of Para-Aortic Nodes Examined: […]